Besides the common use of this word in the sense of to reply, it is very often used in the bible, following the Hebrew and Greek idioms, in the sense of to speak; meaning simply that one begins or resumes his discourse, Zechariah 3:4; 6:4; Matthew 11:25; 12:38; Luke 7:40. It also means, to sing in choruses or responses, 1 Samuel 18:7; and to give account of one's self in judgment, Genesis 30:33; Job 9:3.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) To speak in defense against; to reply to in defense; as, to answer a charge; to answer an accusation.

2. (n.) To speak or write in return to, as in return to a call or question, or to a speech, declaration, argument, or the like; to reply to (a question, remark, etc.); to respond to.

3. (n.) To respond to satisfactorily; to meet successfully by way of explanation, argument, or justification, and the like; to refute.

4. (n.) To be or act in return or response to.

5. (n.) To be or act in compliance with, in fulfillment or satisfaction of, as an order, obligation, demand; as, he answered my claim upon him; the servant answered the bell.

6. (n.) To render account to or for.

7. (n.) To atone; to be punished for.

8. (n.) To be opposite to; to face.

9. (n.) To be or act an equivalent to, or as adequate or sufficient for; to serve for; to repay.

10. (n.) To be or act in accommodation, conformity, relation, or proportion to; to correspond to; to suit.

11. (v. i.) To speak or write by way of return (originally, to a charge), or in reply; to make response.

12. (v. i.) To make a satisfactory response or return.

13. (v. i.) To render account, or to be responsible; to be accountable; to make amends; as, the man must answer to his employer for the money entrusted to his care.

14. (v. i.) To be or act in return.

15. (v. i.) To be or act by way of compliance, fulfillment, reciprocation, or satisfaction; to serve the purpose; as, gypsum answers as a manure on some soils.

16. (v. i.) To be opposite, or to act in opposition.

17. (v. i.) To be or act as an equivalent, or as adequate or sufficient; as, a very few will answer.

18. (v. i.) To be or act in conformity, or by way of accommodation, correspondence, relation, or proportion; to conform; to correspond; to suit; -- usually with to.

19. (n.) A reply to a change; a defense.

20. (n.) Something said or written in reply to a question, a call, an argument, an address, or the like; a reply.

22. (n.) A solution, the result of a mathematical operation; as, the answer to a problem.

23. (n.) A counter-statement of facts in a course of pleadings; a confutation of what the other party has alleged; a responsive declaration by a witness in reply to a question. In Equity, it is the usual form of defense to the complainant's charges in his bill.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ANSWER

an'-ser: In our English Bible the word "answer" does not always mean a simple reply to a question.

1. In the Old Testament:

Six different words are translated by answer.

(1) It is frequently used where no question has been asked and in such cases it means a word, a statement.

An Answer to the JewsAn Answer to the Jews. <. An Answer to the Jews Tertullian. Translated by the Rev. S. Thelwall. Table of Contents. Title Page. ...//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/an answer to the jews/

The Answer to Trust... VOLUME II: PSALMS LI to CXLV THE ANSWER TO TRUST. 'Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set .../.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the answer to trust.htm

The Answer to the First Letter.... THE FOREGOING SERMONS; WITH THE DOCTOR'S ANSWERS. THE ANSWER TO THE FIRST LETTER. "Sir," "Did men who publish controversial papers .../.../the answer to the first.htm

The Answer to the Second Letter.... THE ANSWER TO THE SECOND LETTER. "Sir," ... Footnotes: [404] See the conclusion of the Answer to the Seventh Letter. [405] Or mode of existence. .../.../the answer to the second.htm

The Answer to the Fifth Letter.... THE ANSWER TO THE FIFTH LETTER. ... "In a multitude of business, I mislaid your last letter; and could not answer it till it came again to my hands by chance. .../.../the answer to the fifth.htm

The Answer to a Sixth Letter,... THE ANSWER TO A SIXTH LETTER,. BEING PART OF A LETTER WRITTEN TO ANOTHER GENTLEMAN, WHO HAD PROPOSED SEVERAL OF THE SAME OBJECTIONS WITH THE FOREGOING. Sir,. .../.../the answer to a sixth.htm

The Answer to the Third Letter.... THE FOREGOING SERMONS; WITH THE DOCTOR'S ANSWERS. THE ANSWER TO THE THIRD LETTER. "Sir," "Though, when I turn my thoughts every .../.../the answer to the third.htm

The Answer to the Fourth Letter.... OF THE FOREGOING SERMONS; WITH THE DOCTOR'S ANSWERS. THE ANSWER TO THE FOURTH LETTER. "Sir," "My being out of town most part of .../.../the answer to the fourth.htm

The Answer to Prayer... LXIII THE ANSWER TO PRAYER. Luke xxii.39-48. (PASSION WEEK"THURSDAY). On Thursday morning of his last week Jesus sends two of his .../.../peabody/mornings in the college chapel/lxiii the answer to prayer.htm

The Answer to a Seventh Letter,... THE DOCTOR'S ANSWERS. THE ANSWER TO A SEVENTH LETTER,. CONCERNING THE ARGUMENT a priori. "To the Reverend Dr***. "Your objection against .../.../the answer to a seventh.htm

Thesaurus

Answer (2099 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) To speak in defense against; to reply to in defense; as, to answer a charge; to answer an accusation. .../a/answer.htm - 10k

Respond (21 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vi) To say something in return; to answer; to reply; as, to respond to a question or an argument. ... 4. (vt) To answer; to reply. .../r/respond.htm - 12k

Plea (35 Occurrences)... 1. (n.) An earnest request or appeal; an answer to a criminal charge; that which is alleged by a party in support of his cause; in a stricter sense, an .../p/plea.htm - 16k

Advise (10 Occurrences)... or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see whatanswer I shall return to him that sent me. (KJV JPS ASV). .../a/advise.htm - 12k

Counselling (9 Occurrences)... with the elders who have been standing in the presence of Solomon his father, in his being alive, saying, 'How are ye counselling to answer this people?' (YLT). .../c/counselling.htm - 9k

Catechist... (n.) One who instructs by question and answer, especially in religions matters. Int. ... They had to meet and answer keen and persistent objections. .../c/catechist.htm - 12k

Answerable (7 Occurrences)... 1. (a.) Obliged to answer; liable to be called to account; liable to pay, indemnify, or make good; accountable; amenable; responsible; as, an agent is .../a/answerable.htm - 10k

Questions (76 Occurrences)... (WEY). Matthew 22:46 No one was able to answer him a word, neither did any man dare ask him any more questions from that day forth. .../q/questions.htm - 28k

Somewhat (30 Occurrences)... 2 Corinthians 5:12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which .../s/somewhat.htm - 16k